The design and manufacture of ready-to-assemble ("RTA") furniture has been a steadily growing field. RTA furniture is typically shipped in a disassembled state to the ultimate consumer, who then assembles the various components to obtain a finished product. RTA furniture of the cabinet type, normally will include a number of vertical and horizontal panels designed to be joined together. The vertical, or upright, panels define spaces which may receive, for example, fixed or movable drawers or shelves. Movable drawers and shelves are provided with drawer slides, which typically comprise two interlocking, complementary members; the first of which is a drawer member affixed to the bottom edge of a drawer or shelf, and the second of which is a cabinet member affixed to an upright panel of the furniture. The two members of the drawer slide are designed to interlock in such a fashion that the drawer or shelf is firmly supported in a chosen position and slides easily in and out on rollers or similar mechanisms.
Conventional design allows for the drawer member of a drawer slide to be assembled with the drawer without tools or supplemental hardware. Generally, such drawer members have a lower lip that a drawer or shelf may rest on and prongs to secure the drawer or shelf to the lip. This assembly technique, though, is not available for the cabinet member of a drawer slide. Conventional cabinet members require screws or nails, together with appropriate tools, to attach a cabinet member to a cabinet upright panel. This is a drawback because it is the only aspect of assembling such RTA furniture that requires any tools or supplemental hardware, and, as a result, is a major reason that many potential consumers of RTA furniture shy away from purchasing RTA furniture.
Another disadvantage associated with conventional RTA furniture hardware is that good quality control is required to ensure that each piece of additional hardware is packaged with the furniture and that the packaging is adequate for the hardware. Furthermore, there exists the potential that a consumer will not assemble a piece of hardware with the same degree of skill and care as would the manufacturer. For example, screws may be put in crooked or not sufficiently tightened, or tightened too much resulting in stripped threads either in the screw or panel material, which may be wood or particle board. If glue is required, a consumer may use incorrect quantities, or not allow the correct amount of dry time. These and other drawbacks can result in a piece of furniture that is not only not as strong or as durable as it could be, but also one that is less aesthetically appealing. When there are moving parts involved, such as sliding drawers and shelves discussed herein, strength and durability are particularly important considerations when making a purchase of furniture.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for RTA furniture that is durable yet easy to assemble without using any tools or other supplemental hardware.